Weekly News Flashes

Monday Morning Message, December 14, 2015

INTERIM REPORTS were due December 10th. IF you missed this deadline,
get it done before vacation!

If you submitted your report, you will have noticed the method of
uploading is different. We are migrating to our new site and the process
has had a few glitches. Not to worry, it will get better as we all get the
process down.

New Challenge Website

We are migrating the Supercomputing Challenge web site to a new host so parts
of the website might not be available until early January.

Interim Reviews

We are asking our reviewers to review your report. Their job is to send you
a copy of their review before January 5th. The intent of the review is to help
you achieve your project goals. They may suggest new areas to research, coding
strategies; offer their help with the project, or suggestions on how to proceed.
Finalist Judges will take a look at the changes from the Proposal to the Interim
and Final Report so it is important to consider the reviewer's suggestions and
show why you made the changes you did. A thank you to the reviewer is considered
good manners.

Things to Consider:

Have your project do double duty, enter it into the Junior Science & Humanities
Symposium

Challenge high school students: you are invited to present your projects at
the 2016 Southwest Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)!

Contribute to Challenge when you shop at Amazon

ENJOY YOUR BREAK!!!

Monday Afternoon Message, December 7, 2015

New Website, under construction

We are migrating our web site to a new server so uploading the Interims is a
little different this year. When you click on
Interims
link, you'll be taken to the new site.

MILESTONE . . . INTERIM REPORT due December 10th.

The interim report, which should be around 500 words in length, should expand
on the information in your proposal. Please note that the interim report may not
be a copy of the proposal that you submitted earlier.

The interim report should include the following information:

the definition of the problem,

your plan for solving the problem computationally,

a description of the progress you have made up to this time,

the results you expect to get,

and at least five citations of information you have referenced.

**The format for a scientific report is to not use opinions. You relate to your
readers by leading them through your learning process and giving them proof
of what you learned that is observable by others or supported by their research.

As Interim Reports come in, we will ask our reviewers to review
your report. Their job is to send you a copy of their review. The intent
of the review is to help you achieve your project goals. They may suggest new
areas to research, coding strategies, offer their help with the project, or
suggestions on how to proceed. Finalist Judges will take a look at the changes
from the Proposal to the Interim and Final Report so it is important to consider
the reviewer's suggestions and show why you made the changes you did. A thank
you to the reviewer is considered good manners.

Computer Science Education Week, Dec 7-11

David, Josephine, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, November 23, 2015

Two Types of Models

In a proposal review from a volunteer scientist, the scientist explained:
"(there are two types of models) Agent Based or Mathematical. In an agent based
model, you use real agents that interact and spread disease according to certain
rules. In a mathematical model, you use a set of equations to model the numbers
of susceptible, infected and recovered individuals (look up SIR for Smallpox).
I would encourage you to decide how you might want to start modeling based on
your interest in math or in agent based programming. There is more info here
as well:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemic_model"

David, Josephine, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, November 16, 2015

Proposal Reviews/Interims Due

You should be receiving reviews of your proposals from volunteer scientists.
Please respond to them, thanking them for their time and input, and ask them other
questions. Interim Reports are due December 10th. See
http://supercomputingchallenge.org/archive/15-16/interims
for more details.

Past Challenge Winner off to Ireland

Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code

Teacher and Students, plan to participate in
Computer Science Education Week
and do the
Hour of Code. Do the tutorials yourself
(at Code.org) then get your school, or the (elementary/middle) school you
previously attended, to participate.
In 2013 the theme was Angry Birds,
in 2014 the theme was Frozen,
and this year the theme is Star Wars and
Minecraft. They are all fun tutorials with
inspiring videos.

Algorithms to Reduce Air Traffic Congestion

Have you been on a plane that pulls away from the gate and sits for what
seems like forever before taking off? Check out this issue of
CS
Bytes & Bits Volume 4 Issue 2 to learn how computer science is helping
to reduce congestion on runways!

David, Josephine, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, November 9, 2015

Proposal Reviews Coming

Several people have volunteered to review your proposals. You should
be hearing from them soon. When you get a review, make sure to acknowledge
the effort the reviewer put into the review. Do heed their advice as you
work on your project and prepare your Interim Report. Thank them and start
a dialogue with them.

Congressional App Challenge

The second annual Congressional App Challenge opens for submissions today,
November 9. The Challenge is open to all students, grades 9-12, who attend high
school in participating Congressional districts. Winners get to meet their
Member of Congress, and have their app displayed at the Capitol Building! View
the details at:
http://www.congressionalappchallenge.us

Support the Challenge through Amazon Smile

Parents,
teachers, anyone, shop through Amazon Smile and Support the Supercomputing Challenge.
The Challenge, a non-profit, has registered with AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is a
simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization
every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/65-1207275,
Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the Supercomputing Challenge.

David, Josephine, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Challenge Facebook Page

High Performance Computing Matters

Through your participation in the Supercomputing Challenge, we hope to
educate you as to how and why computers can be used to benefit society.

SC15 (an international Supercomputing Conference held the third week of
November each year) recently released short videos about how high performance
computing (HPC) is making a difference in our lives. Check out the
introduction video at
https://youtu.be/9m0gZ2Gft4Q.

Then see the short video about personalizing medical treatments. Through
the use of patient specific high resolution computer models of a child's head
surgery for epilepsy is much more precise and less traumatic in part thru the
use of high performance imaging and visualization. The end result is a much
higher quality of life for the child.
https://youtu.be/HOEAocq_U5o

Parents/Teachers

October was National Cyber Security Awareness Month, but Securing Your Kids
is a never ending activity. The SANS Institute (the most trusted source for
information security training) has a site,
https://cyberaware.securingthehuman.org/securing-your-kids,
that has a good 57 minute video with great advice for dealing with kids and
technology.

David, Josephine, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, October 19, 2015

Research and Report Writing

October is speeding past, this is the month where you really need to
be collecting, reading, and annotating research for your project topic. Work,
Work, Work! By December 10th.

School Visits

If you want a school visit, please request one ASAP. Write to:
consult1516 at supercomputingchallenge.org

Project Proposals

There are several teams that have not submitted their proposals. Please get
that done as soon as possible.

Interim Reports

Interim Reports are due Dec 10th. Don't miss the deadline so that your project is on track.

Google Cardboard Glasses

At the Kickoff, we played around with and gave away google cardboard
glasses. If you want to know more, or want your own glasses, here's the link:
https://www.google.com/get/cardboard

David, Josephine, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Thursday Afternoon Message, October 15, 2015

We heard you enjoyed the speakers at the Kickoff, David Mascarenas (Los
Alamos National Lab) talked about Engineering sensors, Roger Wiens (Los Alamos
National Lab) spoke of the Mars Science Laboratory and ChemCam, and Meghan Hill
and Katelynn James (2014-15 First place Supercomputing Challenge winners)
presented their project and gave you pointers for the coming year.

This past weekend we had 200 attendees and 65 instructors/volunteers. A job well done all!

THE CHALLENGE MARATHON HAS BEGUN!

Look for any research like what you propose to do.
Look for more information on topic to expand knowledge
Look for influencing variables

Create a preliminary timeline and rough draft of plan

NOVEMBER

Find Mentors
Major Research Push
Increase knowledge on topic
Increase knowledge on topic
Discover Variables that might affect outcomes
Decide on an appropriate Model for the project
Mathematical? Agent Based? etc.
Discuss with Team

DECEMBER

Write and Submit INTERIM REPORT -- DEC 10
Proofread
Be clear and concise
Make report long enough to truly represent what you now know about the topic,
what you have discovered, and what will be critical to pay attention to.
Include a timeline plan if possible.
Continue Project work
Coding Ramps up
Consult mentors
Save reviewers comments and incorporate them

JANUARY

Coding and project work continues
PUT REVIEWERS COMMENTS INTO ACTION
Begin to write final report
Don't forget to keep a record of references
Present to Peers and Adults
Consult mentors

Use Report reviewer's suggestions
Generate Research Data, Paying attention to patterns in the data
Assess whether project is testing what you think it is testing
Gather Proof how you know that it is (Use in Final Report)
Assess whether project results are how the system would work in the real world.
Gather Proof how you know that it is (Use in Final Report)
Work on final report

APRIL

Finish work and upload FINAL REPORT -- APR 6
Polish report and presentations
Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
Even after submitting continue any unfinished work
EXPO April 25 -- 26

Don't forget if you have questions, requests, or needs, write to:
consult1516 at supercomputingchallenge.org

Tracks

We will have eight different tracks that students will be following during
the two days. Three tracks will learn NetLogo and three tracks will learn Python
and two tracks cover other topics for advanced students.

David, Josephine, Kari, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, October 6, 2015

Kickoff

The 26th Annual Supercomputing Challenge Kickoff is this weekend!
At New Mexico Tech in Socorro. Plan to arrive at the Joseph Fidel Student
Center (#10 on the map below) between 9:00 am and 11:30 am to register and get
t-shirts, schedules, and more. See the map of the NM Tech campus at:
http://www.nmt.edu/campus-maps

The Challenge will provide lunch and dinner on Saturday and lunch Sunday
at NM Tech. Breakfast Sunday morning is at the hotel. You might want to bring
some spending money for snacks (or to spend at the NM Tech bookstore on Saturday).

Proposals

Try to post your project proposals before Friday. See:
http://www.supercomputingchallenge.org/archive/15-16/proposals
for guidelines and the links to submit your proposal. (Eight teams have
already submitted their proposals.) In the next day or two we will renumber
the teams to numbers between 1 and 100 alphabetically by school name. Remember
that you need to bring a copy of your proposal with you to the Kickoff.

Kickoff Housing

Check to make sure you are on one of the lists if you need housing on Saturday
night. Let Consult know of any issues.

David, Josephine, Kari, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Evening Message, September 28, 2015

Team Membership

Team registration is now available. Go to:
http://supercomputingchallenge.org/archive/15-16/registration.shtml
and click on Register or Manage Teams and organize yourselves onto teams. You
will be assigned a team ID and once everyone is registered, we'll re-organize
the teams alphabetically by schools and renumber them to numbers between 1 and 100.

News

David, Josephine, Kari, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, September 21, 2015

Kickoff

Planning is in full swing for the Supercomputing Challenge Kickoff which
will be held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro on October 10th and 11th. Teams
should expect to arrive between 9:00 am and 11:30 am. Registration will be in
the Joseph Fidel Student Union building where teams will get their schedules,
Challenge t-shirts, and have their pictures taken. NM Tech students will be
there to give tours of the campus before we have lunch in the cafeteria. There
will be an after lunch keynote session, three classes, dinner, an evening
keynote session and electives. Sunday morning will have three classes followed
by lunch with a keynote session and then everyone will depart from Socorro. The
Challenge will pay for meals and lodging for the weekend.

Proposals

Be preparing a proposal about the project you would like to work on this
year and plan to bring it with you to the Kickoff. Hopefully next week we'll
be accepting proposal submissions on the web site.

Registration

If you haven't registered yet, please get that done as soon as possible as
we need to make food and housing plans and order t-shirts and such.

Questions?

Send us an email, to consult1516 at supercomputingchallenge.org

David, Josephine, Kari, Patty,
Program Managers for the Supercomputing Challenge

Monday Morning Message, August 25, 2015

Welcome to the 26th Annual Supercomputing Challenge!

Registration

Start forming teams to participate in the 26th annual New Mexico
Supercomputing Challenge.

Proposals

Be thinking about your projects and start preparing a proposal about what
you want to work on this year.
Read the Proposals Guidelines at:
http://www.supercomputingchallenge.org/proposals
and be ready to submit a proposal when that web site becomes available.

These News Flashes are archived at http://www.supercomputingchallenge.org/news_flash.shtml
so that you can review them at a later date. There is also a link at the top of each Challenge web page pointing
to Newsflash.

For questions about the Supercomputing Challenge, a 501(c)3 organization, contact us at: consult1516 @ supercomputingchallenge.org